Aikido is a traditional Japanese martial
art the modern form of which was developed
during the early 20th century by Ueshiba Morihei
O’Sensei. The techniques which form the basis of modern
Aikido are derived from centuries old tactics developed
by Samurai warriors. Aikido is the only purely defensive
martial art. Rather than meeting violence with
reciprocal violence, the Aikidoist learns to evade and
redirect the power of the attack, resulting in the
attacker being unbalanced and either projected (thrown)
or immobilized. Thus, it is the attacker’s own force and
momentum which neutralize his aggression. Because of
this principle of “active non-resistance”, Aikido can be
effectively performed even against larger, stronger
attackers. At the higher levels of the art, it is
equally effective against multiple attackers. Aikido is
not a sport or a game. There are no tournaments or
competitions. Rather, practice is conducted in a spirit
of mutual respect and co-operation. Aikido has been
proven to be an effective means of self defense and its’
techniques form the basis of many police “control and
restraint” tactics. It is also distinguished by a highly
developed moral code which seeks to protect the
assailant while simultaneously neutralizing his will and
ability to attack. Beyond being merely a form of self
protection, Aikido is a method of personal development
which teaches the practitioner secrets of balance and
character which enhance all aspects of daily life. The
Aikido Center of Atlanta has been in continuous
operation since 1967 and currently has over twenty black
belts among its membership. We are charter members of
the United States Aikido Federation under Yamada
Yoshimitsu Shihan and all of our rank is awarded/
approved by the Aikikai Foundation and the Ueshiba
family. More in our FAQs
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